The annual ritual of finding a scapegoat for the Maple Leafs’ shortcomings could find its next victim behind the bench.
Over the years, several players and front office members have caught the lion’s share of the flak for the team’s shortcomings.
There was Jake Gardiner, Nazem Kadri, and Michael Bunting. Kyle Dubas got the cold shoulder. So did Sheldon Keefe. Last season, it was Brendan Shanahan... oh wait, there was also this guy named Mitch Marner.
This season, it looks like the annual scapegoat will be Craig Berube. Leafs Nation is demanding answers, and rightfully so. But it seems like the easiest way out will be for the Leafs to drop the ax on Berube.
Why not?
It’s an easy way of diverting the attention of Leafs fans and pundits to a single point. Berube’s the culprit for the colossal failure this season. End of story. Get the torches and pitchforks and run Berube out of town.
But the reality is far deeper than just Berube. If anything, Berube is the last guy fans and pundits should get to walk the plank.
Putrid season is on the entire Maple Leafs organization
When a company fails, the blame generally cascades. The front-facing executives bear most of the brunt in the media. They’re the ones shareholders hold accountable for the main disaster. Then, management teams get their share of the blame. Eventually, the finger pointing lands on the guys behind the counter, interacting with customers.
That’s the way the Maple Leafs must approach this season’s massive fiasco. The blame needs to start from the top and trickle down. There’s no point in blaming the players, the trainers, and the equipment staff for the organization’s lack of vision.
Turning things around doesn’t require a major overhaul. Taking the roster to the studs won’t make any difference if the same lack of vision remains intact. The organization must begin with a vision. From there, the necessary changes can follow.
Not the other way around.
When corporations restructure following a bankruptcy, they generally begin by trimming the fat and focusing on their core business and customers.
The fat trimming begins at the top. The core business and customers are what the management team needs to address. Those are deeper questions we will have the entire offseason to address.